Natural hazards · Hancock

Hancock, ME natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Hancock comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1982. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Hancock?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Hancock to be higher than in 31% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes36%Inland flooding19%Coastal flooding14%Cold waves11%Ice storms7%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Hancock faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Hurricanes

36% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Inland flooding

19% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 2% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Coastal flooding

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Cold waves

11% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 44% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Ice storms

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Hancock flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Hancock, from FEMA’s records.

3paid claims since 1982

$46Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19822026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Hancock isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Hancock County.

Disasters that hit Hancock

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Hancock itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Town of Hancock.

Brought FEMA money into HancockDeclared for Hancock County only

2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

9 households applied for aid $3K aid approved $827K to the Town of Hancock for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$11K to the Town of Hancock for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt, and Ice Jams

$2K to the Town of Hancock for repairs

2001

Snow

$2K to the Town of Hancock for repairs

Hancock County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Hancock

Hancock and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Gouldsboromostly hurricanesModerate

Sorrentomostly hurricanesLow

Sullivanmostly hurricanesLow

Franklinmostly hurricanesLow

Hancockmostly hurricanesLow

Lamoinemostly hurricanesLow

Bar Harbormostly hurricanesLow

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Hancock is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Hancock’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Hancock. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.